The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the present invention. The subject matter discussed in the background of the invention section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background of the invention section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background of the invention section or associated with the subject matter of the background of the invention section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background of the invention section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in the background of the invention section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present invention.
In a conventional electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine or a printer, fine particles toner is used as a developer. When the toner in the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus is used up, the toner is supplied into the main assembly of the image forming apparatus using a toner supply container (a toner accommodating container).
Here, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus is an apparatus which forms images on a recording material through an electrophotographic image formation type process. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a, an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (laser beam printer, LED printer, for example), a facsimile machine, word processor or the like.
Since the toner is very fine powder, it is known to place, upon toner supplying operation, a toner supply container inside the main assembly of the image forming apparatus and to gradually supply the toner through a small opening to avoid scattering of the toner.
Any one of the above-described toner supply containers receives a driving force from the main assembly of an image forming apparatus to drive the toner supply container to discharge the toner. Various drive transmission methods are proposed for driving the toner supply container. However, the conventional structures involve some problems.
Therefore, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the art to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.